A former head of Garda human resources has claimed that “pointed media leaks” serve as a distraction from one of the worst examples of “gross mismanagement of State assets” in Irish history. Stories that ran in multiple media outlets about an ongoing Gsoc investigation into the financial management of the Garda College in Templemore “serve to dilute and deflect public attention” from the “financial misappropriate” activities at the college, according to John Barrett. Four-year investigationGsoc, the Garda Ombudsman, commenced its four-year investigation into Templemore and the so-called Cabra account in June 2017. Recent media reports have suggested that any prosecution over the matter is “unlikely”, Mr Barrett said. The former head of human resources for the Garda, Mr Barrett was the most senior civilian employee of the force before his suspension in October 2018.

Source: Irish Examiner July 05, 2021 19:30 UTC